University College London

The U.K. is still the most popular destination for international students, with London taking the top spot, according to analysis by global student accommodation marketplace Student.com.

The news has the potential to quash fears by university leaders, who believe that the U.K.’s impending departure from the E.U. will make it less attractive for international students, which will deprive the sector of a lucrative source of income.

However, these figures indicate that there were more inquiries about student accommodation in London than any other city in 2017.

London appears to be maintaining its global appeal, despite concerns over the sort of welcome international students will receive.

Luke Nolan, founder and CEO of Student.com, the largest global student accommodation marketplace, says that the news is great for the UK but we cannot afford to be complacent and must maintain our attractiveness.

Reassuringly, our data indicates that there is still significant interest in the U.K. as a destination for international students particularly from Asia and Europe…However, this is not an excuse to become complacent…with global competition for international students increasing year after year, the U.K. should do everything it can to support the internationalisation objectives of its universities and maintain its attractiveness as a study destination.

Luke Nolan

Australia also performed well in Student com’s analysis of most popular destinations, with Sydney and Melbourne taking second and third spot behind London. The highest ranked U.S. city was Los Angeles at nine.

However, London is unequalled in its multicultural vibrancy and the range of opportunities for students. London has the advantage of being home to a number of world leading universities, with both Imperial College London and University College London in the world’s top 20, according to Times Higher Education.